Collective Espresso & Kitchen

(5/3/12)

Collective Espresso is a busy cafe and if you dont mind sitting with others at the very long communal table, perch on a surprisingly comfortable stool & enjoy the surrounds.  The outside tables fill very fast as they seat mainly 2 or 3 people comfortably. The inside design has been done very well, and you certainly do not feel like you are cheek to cheek with the person next to you and still room for the staff to move around. The table is a nice height for all size patrons, some communal tables are quite high for shorter customers!

Greeted by a lovely smiling female staff member, the male members of cafe staff maybe had a hard weekend as I dont think we witnessed a smile from any of them the entire time we where there or upon leaving :-(

Lovely five senses coffee, so nice we had to have 2 each.  Collective's menu is a very creative one and very easy to choose something from with quite a few other items we would love to try.  The chef has a real flair with ingredients, and obvious pride in presentation.  

"The Sigh of Relief" - poached egg, w/spinach, three mushrooms & kaiser bacon served on parmesan rosti
($18)

"The Sigh of Relief" - Scrambled egg
($18)

 The Sigh of Relief - poached egg, w/spinach, three mushrooms & kaiser bacon served on parmesan rosti was extremely tasty, the spinach tasted like real spinach not like some watery green leaves other places serve up. The rosti married all ingredients together, and made it a very enjoyable taste experience! The sigh of relief was also consumed but with scrambled eggs and given the same tick of approval. 

"The Architect"  (Build you own) - Carrajung Real Free Range eggs - scrambled with side of avocado & trusted baby tomatoes on multigrain toast.
($9 + 4 + 3)   

The third dish consumed (& when I say consumed all 3 plates were completely empty :-)) was the Build you own - Carrajung Real Free Range eggs - scrambled with side of avocado  & trusted baby tomatoes on multigrain toast, looked lovely & tasted likewise.

Only negative apart from unsmiling staff was the placing of cutlery on table holding the head of the fork (section that goes in customers mouth), we didn't comment but sure some others would have.

Overall a very tasty brunch had by all, would happily recommend to others & return ourselves :-)  having said that it was in fact our second visit.  Keep up the good work Collective.